Business Archives - Page 37 of 39 -
Reputation Management: What Are Customers Saying About You?

The Internet is often referred to as “The Wild, Wild West” because technology is changing so rapidly, it’s virtually impossible to police content, images and business practices. Well, the web just got a heck of a lot wilder in the local search space, so here is what you need to know to protect your shop’s reputation.

Do You Know Your Customer’s Lifetime Value?

Let’s talk about the lifetime value of a customer and what that value means to you. Lifetime value has many meanings and has been analyzed by folks who are a whole lot smarter than me.

Sales Down? Before You Blame Your Service Advisors …

If you are falling short of your sales goals, before you start blaming your service advisors, you need to make sure that your technicians are providing them with the adequate recommendations.

Use Cause-Related Marketing to Boost Sales

If you’re looking to increase your repair shop’s exposure in your local community, a cause-related event is virtually guaranteed to get some much-desired exposure, help you earn the trust and respect of your current and potential customers – and, not to mention, help out a great cause.

Protect Your Business with the Right Insurance

Starting a business is expensive and the capital that you’ve poured into your company can disappear in an instant if a major weather event damages your offices or one of your products injures someone.

Brand: The Promise Of An Experience

Imagine choosing a car repair shop. The shop’s ad caught your eye in the newspaper by the clean, attractive look. You checked it out on the shop website, and not only found easy directions to its location, but also saw pictures of the people who worked there, along with a sparkling clean shop.

No-Brainers For Success: Own Customers For Life

You’ve just repaired a vehicle and your female customer seems pleased with the quality of the repair and the service you provided. You deliver the vehicle, hand her the keys and send her on her way. But does that customer really belong to you? Is she really yours?

Managing Company Assets To Enhance Your Shop’s Revenue Potential

Financial subjects are dry and usually at the bottom of the shop owner’s list of desirable activities, but, typically, they are the number one reason for poor performance or failure.

Attract Female Customers to Boost Your Shop’s Word-of-Mouth Power

Testimonials from customers who are raving fans of your shop are among the best methods for gaining new customers. And a major segment of that word-of-mouth promotion is made up of your female customers.

How Fit Are Your Sales and Customer Service Efforts?

Have you ever considered the fitness level of your sales and customer service efforts? I’m not talking about some sort of employee exercise program. Rather, I’m asking if the employees who provide sales and service to your customers are functioning at peak performance.

On-line Group Discount Programs Guarantee New Customers

Imagine a form of marketing that’s 95% guaranteed to drive new customers to your shop’s door without any upfront costs. Believe it or not, there’s no catch. On-line group discount websites are making this scenario a reality for a variety of businesses, including automotive repair shops.

Things to Consider Before Opening Your Second Shop, Part 4

I heard a statistic years ago (can’t remember the source) that stuck in my head and my experience working with shops over the years has reinforced it. The average shop owner makes 3% net operating profit. Meaning that the shop that does $1 million in annual sales nets about $30,000 at the end of the year, before taxes.